Sheet-counting mechanism



SHEET COUNTING MECHANI S M Filed 00%.. 8, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwvewtcw 222391 Erwin-2 atbozvwg Jan. 29, 1929. v 1,700,365

A. BROADMEYER SHEET COUNTING MECHANI SM Filed Oot. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet- 2 Patented Jan. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT BROADMEYER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. O.

HICKOK MFG. 00., 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IA.

SHEET-COUN TING MECHANISM.

Application filed October 8, 1924. Serial No. 742,403.

The present invention relates to counting mechanism, particularly of that type in which a series of sheets are counted as they move over a support or sheet-carrying mechanism.

The object is to provide a register operating mechanism that is accurate and is quickly responsive, so that the sheets no matter how rapidly they pass, will be successively registered.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a well-known type of sheetcarrier or conveyor, showing the controller for the counting mechanism in place thereon,

Figure 2 is a perspective view diagrammatic in its character, and illustrating the said counting mechanism,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the controller for the motor,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4C4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view through the motor.

In the embodiment disclosed, the sheet car rier is shown as comprising a series of rollers 6 arranged diagonally to the line of travel oi the sheets, which sheets are indicated in dotted lines at 7. An abutment guide 8 is located transversely to the rollers and at the rear ends thereof, the structure being such that as the rollers revolve the sheets are carried successively along and are maintained in contact with the guide 8.

Suitably mounted at any convenient point is a register or counter 9 that may be of any well-known construction, and includes a swinging actuating arm 10. A pneumatic motor is employed, consisting of a cylinder member 11, in which is a reciprocatory piston member 12, said piston member having a piston rod 13 projecting from one end of the cylinder member, and said piston rod having a link connection 1 with the actuating arm 10. A coiled spring 15, surrounding the projecting end of the piston rod and having a suitable abutment against its upper end, bears upon the upper end of the cylinder head and serves as elevating means for the piston.

A vacuum pump 16 of any desired character has its intake 17 connected by a conduit 18 with the lower end of the piston chamber in the cylinder 11, and leading from the lower end of said piston chamber is a vent conduit 19 that is connected to a controlling head 20.

This controlling head 20, as shown in F igure 1, is located at the discharge end of the conveyor or sheet carrier, and its structure 18 illustrated more particularly in Figures 3 and at. As shown, a rotatable shaft 21 is employed, to which the head is fixed and this shaft is rotated in any suitable manner at a speed corresponding to the speed of the sheets passing thereover. The head is provided with longitudinally disposed sets of air intake ports 22, opening through its periphery, the sets or rows being preferably disposed side by side, and each row opening into a chamber 23, preferably formed by drilling a series of longitudinal bores into one end of the head, said bores terminating short of the other end. An exhaust passageway 2 1 is provided for each chamber 23, and has a port 25 opening into the central portion of the chamber with which the passageways are associated. These passageways also open through the end of the head 20, through which the chambers 23 open.

Located alongside the shaft 21 in parallel relation thereto, is a rod 26, on which is a sleeve 27. From this sleeve extends a neck 28 provided with a collar 29 that surrounds a hub 30 projecting from the end 01' the head 20, through which the bores 23 and 24 open. The collar 30 is maintained on the hub by any suitable means, as for example, nuts 31. It will be noted that the collar and neck cover certain of the open ends of the bores 23 and 24 as the samepass. The neck 28 has a nipple 32 projecting therefrom, and this nipple is provided with a passageway 33 terminating at its inner end in a port 34 that alines with the path of movement of the open ends of the bores 24, so that said bores successively move into and out of communication with the port 34. To the nipple 32 is connected the conduit 19.

With this construction, it will be evident that the normal position of the piston 12 is at the upper end of the cylinder and is held there by the spring 15. Assuming the pump in action, as long as the set of ports 22, which through the chamber 23, port 25, and passageway 24, are in communication with the passageway 33, are open, the pump will simply draw air through the conduit 18, pump cylinder 11, conduit 19 and the controller head, so that the piston will remain elevated. As soon, however, as a sheet passes over the head draw the air contained in the piston chamber,

as consequence of which the piston will move downwardly against the action or the spring 15 and the arm 10 will be swung. As soon as the sheet passes the head the vents will be again opened, thus relieving the partial Vacuum created and allowing the spring to react and raise the piston. This causes a return movement of the arm 10, and obviously the operation of the register will take place. As the sheets are ordinarily fed in succession with a slight space between them, each sheet will thus effect an operation of the counter or register.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, o eration and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without turther description and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages or the invention.

, WVhat I claim, is:

1. In apparatus having article carrying means, the combination with a counting register, oi penumatic mechanism for actuating the register, including a controlling vent, so located that articles are moved by the carrying means successively across the vent to pcriodically close it and thereby effect successive operations of the register.

2. In apparatus having means for carrying articles in succession, thecombination with a counting register, of a suction motor connected to the register to operate it, a suction pump for continuously extracting air from the motor, and a relief vent in communication with the motor and pump, so located that a to be counted are caused to successively traverse the vent and close it to thereby cause the operation of the motor by the extraction of air b the pump.

3. The combination with means for movis passed over successively by the sheets and.

has ports that communicate with the motor and are covered and uncovered by the sheets transported by the carrying means to alternately admit and cut oil air to the air pump through said ports.

4:. The combination with means for moving ing sheets successively in spaced relation, of a register, a pneumatic motor for acuating thev register, including a pneumatically operated movable member connected to the register, an air pump connected to the motor for effecting the movement of said member thereof, and a vent mechanism for the motor for neutralizing the effect of said air pump, said vent mechanism comprising a conduit connected to the motor and in communication with the pump, and rotary head having peripheral ports that successively communicate with the conduit and are alternately covered and uncovered by the successive sheets moved across said head by the carrying means.

5. The combination with means for moving sheets successively in spaced relation, of aregister, a motor for the register comprisin a cylinder member and a piston member operating therein, one of said members being connected to the register, a pump connected to the cylinder member for ellecting the movement of the piston in one direction, a vent conduit in communication with the cylinder member, and portage for the vent conduit traversed by the sheets on the carrying means and covered and uncovered thereby.

G. The combination with means for moving sheets successively in spaced relation, of a register, a suction motor comprising a cylinder member, and a piston operating in the cylinder member and connected to the register, an exhaust pump connected to the cylinder member for moving the piston in one direction, means for moving the piston in an opposite direction when released from the suction of the pump, a vent conduit for releasing said suction, and a rotatable head having peripheral ports that successively communicate with the conduit, the periphery of said head being passed by the sheets on the carrying means and the ports thereof being covered and uncovered successively by said sheets. r

7. The combination with means for moving sheets successively in spaced relation, of a sheet counting mechanism, a suction motor connected thereto to operate it, an exhaust pump connected to the motor for operating it, a rotary head having peripheral vent ports, means for causing the vent ports to successively communicate with the pump and motor'to relieve the vacuum caused by, the pump, and means for causing sheets to successively traverse the head and in succession alternately close and open the ports thereof that are in communication with the pump and motor to permit the former to establish a vacuum and thereby operate the latter.' V

8. The combination with a register, of a pneumatic motor for operatingthe register, an air pump having communication with the motor for operating it, a vent mechanism for neutralizing the etfect of the motor on the air pump, and means for conveying sheets in spaced relation successively across the vent mechanism to alternately close and open the vent and thereby cause the air pump to operate the motor successively and correspondingly operate the register.

9. The combination with a register, of a pneumatic motor for operating the register, an air pump including a piston and cylinder, one of Which h as a back and forth movement and operates the register, an exhaust fan for creating continuous suction having an air intake communicating With the motor cylinder, a vent mechanism for furnishing suiticient air to the fan to prevent the operation of the motor piston, and means for causing sheets in spaced relation to move successively across the vent mechanism and thereby alternately close and open the vent mechanism to permit the intake of the fan to intermittent- 1y operate the motor and thereby intermittently operate the register.

10. The combination With a register, of a pneumatic motor for operating the register, an air pump including a piston and cylinder, one of Which has a back and forth movement and operates the register, a rotary fan for creating continuous suction and having an air intake communicating with the motor cylinder, a vent mechanism for furnishing sufficient air to the fan to prevent the operation of the motor piston, and means for causing sheets in spaced relation to move successively across the vent mechanism and thereby alternately close and open the vent mechanism to permit the intake of the fan to intermittently operate the motor and thereby intermittently operate the register.

In testimony whereof, I atfix my signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. 

